Anais Rodriguez-Thompson, PhD

I use exposure and response prevention (ERP) and the Unified Protocol (UP) to treat a range of anxiety disorders, including OCD. I particularly enjoy adapting these treatments to better suit the needs of people who want support in multiple areas, especially those wanting to treat both OCD and PTSD. I also offer support for parents of anxious youth through SPACE therapy. As a specialty focus of mine, I dedicate over half of my caseload to working with individuals and families with anxiety and OCD.

For those with ADHD and ASD, I follow a standard ERP protocol with accommodations (e.g., fidgeting or stimming during exposures, visual prompts).

For those with personality disorders, if comprehensive DBT is warranted I provide comprehensive DBT services and can target OCD once high priority (life-threatening) targets are addressed.

For co-occurring mood disorders, I offer transdiagnostic treatments, such as the Unified Protocol, where we can simultaneously target mood symptoms and engage in ERP.

I was extensively trained in cognitive-behavioral approaches for treating OCD and a range of anxiety disorders in children and adults while pursuing my doctorate in Clinical Psychology at UNC Chapel Hill. I was also trained for multiple years in assessing perinatal OCD. While at the Triangle Area Psychology (TAP) clinic I co-developed and ran a SPACE group for parents of anxious youth and further trained in using ERP and the UP for treating OCD across the age span. I also further developed my specialty in treating both OCD and PTSD.

Learning about cultural factors for assessing and treating anxiety and considerations for marginalized groups is important to me and integrated into my training and continued learning. During my internship at the Durham VA, I trained in using assessments tools about identity and racism-related stress. As part of the Inclusive Therapists community, I also engage in workshops and trainings such as “Dismantling Oppressive Treatment of Anxiety” and participate in the IDHA’s trainings on transformative mental health.